On Friday, April
8, 2016, at 11 a.m., El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal and Villa Maria
shelter director Linda Velarde will award five El Paso residents "Cycle for
Change" scholarships for the Spring 2016 semester. The event will take place at
the Villa Maria shelter, 920 S. Oregon.

All the
scholarship recipients are survivors of domestic violence who are fighting to
overcome obstacles to succeed in life. The funds can be used to pursue academic
goals, or to fulfil needs such as therapeutic services, child care, or any
other needs that might become an obstacle for the survivor of violence to move
forward with their life and increase their self-esteem.

The money for
the scholarships comes from the annual cycling tour "Cycle for Change: From Surviving
to Thriving," which was held on October 18, 2015, at Gallegos Park. The
event was created with the purpose of raising funds to help survivors to move
beyond breaking the cycle of domestic violence, to thriving as a survivor of
the social disease. More than 230 cyclists from the region participated in last
year's event.

"As an
organization that daily helps dozens of victims of domestic violence, it is
disheartening to see that many of them return to their abusive relationships
within days of a violent episode. This happens because the victims don't have
the tools or skills to survive on their own and to break the cycle of
violence," said El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal

"We are happy that these
scholarships will help some of those victims to move forward with their lives
and break away from the cycle of violence," Bernal concluded.

The scholarship program is open to
any primary survivor of a domestic violence relationship who resides in El Paso
County, regardless of their legal status in this country.

EL PASO - Three central El Paso bars with confirmed association to the violent Barrio Azteca gang shut their doors permanently today after surrendering their TABC licenses as part of a pre-trial settlement entered last week in the 327th District Court.

The Golden Nugget Bar, located at 5711 Trowbridge; the Doll House Bar, located at 5715 Trowbridge; and the George Washington Lounge, located at 3900 Montana, were all facing contempt charges for violating court orders stemming from a nuisance abatement lawsuit filed by the County Attorney’s Office.

TABC approached the El Paso County Attorney’s Office to seek restraining orders and injunctions against the three bars using the Texas Nuisance Abatement statute, as well as Section 101.01 of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code. On August 29, 2014, 41st District Judge Annabel Perez granted temporary restraining orders ruling the establishments be immediately closed until a court date could be set. On September 12, 2014, the three bars were allowed to re-open after agreeing to a court order setting certain conditions for them to operate, including not violating the TABC and Texas Nuisance laws, in addition to taking affirmative steps to curb criminal activity in their bars.

In an effort to ensure compliance with the court orders and other state laws, TABC conducted additional investigations after the bars re-opened. Investigators found the three bars were continuing to engage in criminal activity and had violated the court ordered agreement. Using these investigations, El Paso County Attorney’s Office filed a motion for contempt with the 327th Judicial District Court. Even after this motion was filed, the El Paso Police Department conducted its own investigation of the bars and found that the criminal activity continued. Based on these new findings, a supplemental violation for contempt was filed May 8, 2015.

Rather than go through with the hearings on these motions for contempt, the owners of the three bars agreed to the cancellation of their TABC licenses. As a result of the cancellation, the bars were forced to shut down. In addition, state law prohibits the owners of the bars from obtaining a TABC permit to sell alcohol for a minimum of one year.

“While the vast majority of TABC-licensed businesses are in full compliance of the law, occasionally there are a few bad operators and steps must be taken to prevent them from being a nuisance to public safety and the overall quality of life in the community,” said Dexter K. Jones, TABC Assistant Chief of Audit and Investigations. “Thanks to our partnership with the El Paso County Attorney’s Office and investigators from federal, state and local agencies, we were able to curtail the potential for criminal activity in the area. We will continue to investigate those involved with this case, and will likely pursue further charges as the investigation continues.”

“The closing of these three bars demonstrates the power of community members, law enforcement agencies and the County of El Paso working together to clean up El Paso,” said Jo Anne Bernal, El Paso County Attorney. “Nuisance abatement laws serve a very important purpose by allowing us to confront property and business owners who do not make any reasonable effort to curb criminal activity on their premises. These laws encourage community cooperation to make our neighborhoods safer.”

As part of an ongoing campaign to promote the use of the “living wills,” tomorrow attorneys from the El Paso County Attorney’s Office will be visiting 3 nutrition centers in Fabens, San Elizario, and Clint, to offer free assistance regarding advance care planning and advance directive forms.

This is the schedule of free legal clinics for Thursday April 9, 2015:

10:00 a.m Fabens Nutrition Center

201 Camp, Fabens, TX 79838

11:00 a.m. Presidio Palms in San Elizario

12960 Alnor St. San Elizario, TX 79849

12:00 p.m. Clint Nutrition Center

200 N. San Elizario Rd., Clint, TX 79836

Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to convey your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time. They provide a way for you to communicate your wishes to family, friends, and health care professionals, and to avoid confusion later on.

A Directive to Physicians or Living Will tells how you feel about care intended to sustain life. You can accept or refuse medical care. There are many issues to address, including:

The use of dialysis and breathing machines

If you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops

Tube feeding

Organ or tissue donation

Blood transfusions

A Medical Power of Attorney allows individuals to designate someone they trust to make health decisions if they are unable to do so.

Individuals interested in getting the Directive to Physicians and Medical Power of Attorney who are unable to attend can download the forms by visiting the County Attorney’s web page at www.epcounty.com/ca. The forms are available in both English and Spanish.

El Paso County Attorney's Office and the University Medical Center of El Paso are partnering with the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso (HACEP) to promote the use of Advance Medical Directives (“medical wills”) in the community, particularly among the beneficiaries of public housing programs in El Paso County. The pilot program was created to inspire, educate and empower the public about the importance of advance care planning.

As part of the campaign to promote the use of the “living wills,” attorneys from the County Attorney’s Office, and volunteers from the University Medical Center will be offering free assistance regarding advance care planning and advance directive forms on Tuesday April 7, 2015, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Paisano Green Community, 4000 E. Paisano St.All residents of El Paso County are encouraged to come and get assistance drafting their advance directives forms.

Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to convey your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time. They provide a way for you to communicate your wishes to family, friends, and health care professionals, and to avoid confusion later on.

A Directive to Physicians or Living Will tells how you feel about care intended to sustain life. You can accept or refuse medical care. There are many issues to address, including:

The use of dialysis and breathing machines

If you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops

Tube feeding

Organ or tissue donation

Blood transfusions

A Medical Power of Attorney allows individuals to designate someone they trust to make health decisions if they are unable to do so.

As part of the program, the participating organizations will host similar events every month at different HACEP locations around El Paso. The events are open to the general public.

Individuals interested in getting the Directive to Physicians and Medical Power of Attorney forms can download them by visiting the County Attorney’s web page at www.epcounty.com/ca. The forms are available in both English and Spanish.

Cities For Immigration Action Sign On To Brief In Texas vs. United States Appeal; Urging Immediate Implementation of President Obama’s Immigration Reforms

Today’s Brief More Than Doubles the Number Of Local Gov’ts Supporting Immigration Action

73 Cities & Counties Signed On From 27 States, Representing 43 Million People Nationwide

(EL PASO, TX) —As part of Cities United for Immigration Action, County Judge Veronica Escobar announced today that El Paso will join 73 cities and counties to file a new friend-of-the-court brief in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in the Texas vs. United States lawsuit, urging immediate implementation of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. The brief demonstrates robust support from the country’s largest cities – as well as its suburbs and rural areas – for the President’s reforms, which will provide temporary relief from deportation to immigrants with longstanding ties to the U.S. who pass a background check and meet other criteria.

The cities and counties – representing 43 million people across the country – argue that the district court judge who temporarily blocked implementation of the programs failed to consider the significant harms to America’s local governments caused by this delay. Today’s brief more than doubles the number of local governments that had previously voiced opposition to the lawsuit brought by states seeking to block President Obama’s immigration reform efforts.

As part of Cities United for Immigration Action, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti led the effort to organize more than 70 cities and counties, the National League of Cities, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors in arguing that the national public interest is served clearly and overwhelmingly by implementing immigration relief by executive action without delay. The brief also argues that the District Court judge’s decision to block executive action with a preliminary injunction is bad for the economy, hurts families, threatens law enforcement priorities, and will stall desperately needed changes to the federal government’s immigration policies.

“Continuing to delay implementation of the President’s executive action on immigration hurts our economy and puts families at risk,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Cities are where immigrants live, and cities are where the President’s executive action will be successfully implemented. Our cities are united, and we will fight for the immigration reform this nation needs and deserves - whether in the courtroom, in Congress, or in our communities. Make no mistake about it: our voices will be heard.”

"We are steadfast on a concrete immigration policy that will keep families intact and the country's economic prosperity on the rise," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who established a Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. "This is a nonpartisan issue that should focus on people and not politics."

The brief demonstrates to the Court that executive action will benefit cities and counties by providing work authorization to millions, increasing local tax revenue, stimulating local economies, facilitating the civic engagement of immigrants, keeping families together, and improving public safety by strengthening our neighborhoods and communities.

In addition, the brief argues that delay in implementation of the President’s executive action has significant costs for local economies and immigrant families. For example:

· New York City and New York State will lose out on at least $1.5 million for every month’s delay in additional state and local tax revenue that would be generated if 100,000 immigrants in New York City were able to access temporary work permits through executive action. Note: this is an estimate based on the City’s conservative analysis.

· The delay in implementation has forced mixed-status families (a number which is estimated to be in the millions) to continue to live in ongoing fear of deportation and separation, a situation that has profound emotional, educational, and health impacts on children.

This collective action to offer the Court the crucial perspective of American cities and counties is an outcome of the organizing efforts of the Cities United for Immigration Action coalition. By filing this brief, America’s mayors and county executives are making a strong statement in support of the President’s plan to grant administrative relief to over 4 million undocumented children and adults.

“Chicago has always been a city of immigrants and for us to stay true to our history and our values, we must ensure that immigrants can fully participate in all aspects of our economic and cultural life,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “We are proud to join numerous cities in filing this brief to support President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. They will help keep families together, increase safety in our communities, and maximize the contributions that immigrants make every day in every part of our city.”

“In Houston, more than 200,000 adults and children are waiting for the President’s immigration order to be implemented,” said Houston Mayor Annise Parker. “I remain confident that this will be only a temporary delay, but while we wait, confusion and frustration are growing. It’s long past time to allow all eligible law-abiding immigrants to come out of the shadows and be recognized as legally documented participants and contributors to our economy and society.”

“San Francisco continues to support our President's bold action on immigration to create the change we need to help our residents succeed,” said San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. “As the son of immigrants, this issue is very personal to me. Joining together with large and small cities from across the U.S. to appeal this decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, mayors must lead on immigration reform to provide all of our residents with hope, opportunities, and the services they deserve because we know our diversity drives our cities' economies and makes us all stronger.”

"I proudly stand with my fellow Mayors throughout the country in support of President Obama's executive actions on immigration that promote family stability, economic growth, and community cohesiveness. Mayors see firsthand the importance of having immigrant populations in our cities and likewise, the detrimental effects of a broken immigration system. As the child of immigrants, I know firsthand their desire to contribute to the social and economic fabric of their neighborhoods. In the absence of federal legislative immigration reform, these executive actions must be implemented to ensure our most vulnerable neighbors have the opportunity to be fully integrated into our communities,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh.

"It is time for America to stop breaking its promises – and its promise – to an entire generation of young people who were raised to believe in the American dream and are now being denied the chance to live it, and to contribute, in the same way immigrants have been contributing since the founding of this great nation. I add my voice to the chorus of mayors in cities large and small who say the safety, health and well-being of our economies and our neighborhoods require that hundreds of thousands of families be allowed to emerge from the shadows and help us build stronger communities," said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock.

“El Paso County is proud to weigh in on the amicus brief and stands in support of President Obama's executive action on immigration. We believe the injunction blocking the executive action causes harm to communities like El Paso, where we have large immigrant communities and tens of thousands of families that would benefit from the rollout of DACA/DAPA. Our goal, like the President's, is to ensure we have safe communities, economic opportunity and strong families. We believe the injunction is a temporary setback and look forward to a favorable decision by the appellate court,” said El Paso County Judge Veronica Escobar.

“Cities are strongly affected by immigration. The old, dysfunctional immigration policies hurt our economies, our neighborhoods, our businesses and our residents. The President is attempting to interject common sense and humanity. We are grateful for his efforts and we stand with him,” said Portland Mayor Charlie Hales.

“St. Louis has new workers contributing to our economy, paying taxes, and helping to revitalize neighborhoods who want to know that they can continue to build a life safely in St. Louis,” said St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. “Delaying implementation of the Department of Homeland Security directives puts it all in jeopardy.”

“Cities understand the critical need for action to fix the nation’s broken immigration system,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker. “The National League of Cities stands behind President Obama's efforts to support millions of immigrants who contribute to our economy and continue to be a vibrant part of America’s communities.”

“It’s only common sense to bridge a gap between our government agencies and a segment of the population that already lives here and contributes to our communities and local economies. Why not embrace a policy that would fully integrate undocumented immigrants and at the same time bolster the country’s economy?” said HartfordMayor Pedro Segarra, co-chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Immigration Reform Task Force. “I’m confident the President’s Executive Action will prevail and I look forward to implementing its measures in Hartford.”

“I am signing onto this Brief because as a nation of immigrants, I believe ensuring access to a fair and legal process for people to come to this country and pursue their dreams reflects our highest values,” said Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt.

“We must do better to honor our country's proud immigration tradition. Too many immigrants live in fear, afraid to become members of our society, while Congress fails to take any meaningful action to fix a broken immigration system. Their inaction has real consequences for our communities, which is why I fully support President Obama's leadership and common sense executive actions. I thank Mayor de Blasio for initiating this brief and building this important coalition of leaders,” said Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer.

“Highland Park, IL is proud to stand with so many other cities across the United States in recognizing the immediate need to take action and provide impactful immigration reform,” said Highland Park, Illinois Mayor Nancy R. Rotering. “For so many of our friends and neighbors, this Executive Action will provide long awaited security for these new Americans and their families, in addition to strengthening our economy.”

Cities and counties signed on to today’s brief (in formation), include the following local governments. Numerous cities and counties are located in states that brought the lawsuit against the Obama administration or have otherwise indicated support for the lawsuit, including 5 cities and counties in Texas, 6 localities in New Jersey, 2 counties in Arizona, 3 municipalities in Wisconsin:

As of Friday February 27, 2015, records of El Paso County indicate that the following individuals had a warrant for their arrest. A name placed on this list is not evidence of guilt. This information is prepared from public records and may not be current and should not be relied on for arrests or any other purposes. This list is informational only and is limited to misdemeanor “Theft by Check” cases. Although reasonable care is taken, clerical errors may exist. Searches based on a name are not always accurate due to use of middle/maiden/married names, or variations in spelling.

For more information regarding hot-check payments and balances please contact the El Paso County Attorney's Office Hot Check Unit at 546-2051. Individuals with outstanding warrants can make payments online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through “Hot Check ePay,” by visiting the El Paso County Attorney’s Office web-page at https://apps.epcounty.com/hotchecks/Forms/Search.aspx.

El Paso County Attorney's Office and the University Medical Center of El Paso are partnering with the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso (HACEP) to promote the use of Advance Medical Directives (“medical wills”) in the community, particularly among the beneficiaries of public housing programs in El Paso County. The pilot program was created to inspire, educate and empower the public about the importance of advance care planning.

As part of the campaign to promote the use of the “living wills,” attorneys from the County Attorney’s Office, and volunteers from the University Medical Center will be offering free assistance regarding advance care planning and advance directive forms on Friday March 13, 2015, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Tays Community complex, 2201 San Antonio St. All residents of El Paso County are encouraged to come and get assistance drafting their advance directives forms.

Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to convey your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time. They provide a way for you to communicate your wishes to family, friends, and health care professionals, and to avoid confusion later on.

A Directive to Physicians or Living Will tells how you feel about care intended to sustain life. You can accept or refuse medical care. There are many issues to address, including:

The use of dialysis and breathing machines

If you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops

Tube feeding

Organ or tissue donation

Blood transfusions

A Medical Power of Attorney allows individuals to designate someone they trust to make health decisions if they are unable to do so.

As part of the program, the participating organizations will another similar event in another HACEP housing complex in Central El Paso. The event will be free and open to the general public.

April 7, 2015

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Paisano Green Community

4000 E. Paisano St.

El Paso, TX 79905

Individuals interested in getting the Directive to Physicians and Medical Power of Attorney forms can download them by visiting the County Attorney’s web page at www.epcounty.com/ca. The forms are available in both English and Spanish.

El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal today announced that a northeast resident accused of taking thousands of dollars from local entrepreneurs was recently convicted and sentenced by a County Court judge.

On January 28, 2015, Johnny Ray Mills plead guilty to three counts of Deceptive Trade Practices stemming from two different cases.

In the first case, Mills plead guilty to one count of Deceptive Trade Practices for taking more than $3,200 from the owners of the restaurant franchise “Wing It,” to secure the rental of non-existent commercial property inside Fort Bliss. The victims also paid more than $300 to advertise their restaurants to soldiers and families at the military base, but the defendant never rendered the services. The offenses occurred between November and December 2013. For this case, County Court at Law #2 Judge Julie Gonzalez sentenced Mills to 180 days in jail.

In the second case, Mills plead guilty to two counts of Deceptive Trade Practices for taking almost $600 from the owner of “Tidal Wave Spas and Pool Supplies” to advertise the business at the Freedom Crossing Shopping Center. The incident occurred in November 20, 2013. Mills was charged with one count for offering services he was not authorized to offer, and with a second count for failing to deliver the advertising services he was paid to provide. County Court at Law #2 Judge Julie Gonzalez also sentenced Mills to 180 days in jail for each of the two charges. All the sentences will run concurrently.

El Paso County Attorney Jo Bernal said that these sentences should send a strong warning to those thinking about defrauding consumers in El Paso.

“Committing fraud against businesses or individuals in Texas, regardless of the amount, is a serious crime. Defendants can be sent to prison for several years,” Bernal said.

“If someone feels that has been the victim of an unscrupulous merchant, we are asking them to file a report with the local law enforcement agency as soon as possible, or call our office at (915) 546-2050,” Bernal concluded.

All the scholarship recipients are survivors of domestic violence who are fighting to overcome obstacles to succeed in life. The funds can be used in the pursuit of any endeavor - academic, therapeutic or otherwise - that is focused on raising the survivor’s self-esteem and taking her beyond breaking the cycle of domestic violence, to thriving as a survivor of the social disease.

The funding for the scholarships comes from the annual cycling event titled “Cycle for Change: From Surviving to Thriving,” held on October 26, 2014, at Gallegos Park. More than 200 cyclists from the region participated in last year’s edition of the event.

“We’re very thrilled to be able to help victims of domestic violence not only during the crisis phase -handling their protective orders, but also providing them resources to succeed in life outside the abusive relationship,” said El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal

The scholarship program is open to any primary survivor of an intimate partner, domestic violence relationship who resides in El Paso County, regardless of their legal status in this country.

All inquiries may be directed to the El Paso County Attorney’s Office at (915) 546-2153.

El Paso County Attorney's Office and the University Medical Center of El Paso are partnering with the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso (HACEP) to promote the use of Advance Medical Directives (“medical wills”) in the community, particularly among the beneficiaries of public housing programs in El Paso County. The pilot program was created to inspire, educate and empower the public about the importance of advance care planning.

As part of the campaign to promote the use of the “living wills,” attorneys from the County Attorney’s Office, and volunteers from the University Medical Center will be offering free assistance regarding advance care planning and advance directive forms on Wednesday December 10, 2014, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Baines Community, 10661 Vista del Sol. All residents of El Paso County are encouraged to come and get assistance drafting their advance directives forms.

Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to convey your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time. They provide a way for you to communicate your wishes to family, friends, and health care professionals, and to avoid confusion later on.

A Directive to Physicians or Living Will tells how you feel about care intended to sustain life. You can accept or refuse medical care. There are many issues to address, including:

The use of dialysis and breathing machines

If you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops

Tube feeding

Organ or tissue donation

Blood transfusions

A Medical Power of Attorney allows individuals to designate someone they trust to make health decisions if they are unable to do so.

As part of the program, the participating organizations will host similar events every month at different HACEP locations around El Paso. The events are open to the general public.

January 20, 2015

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Father Ochoa

8820 Old County Rd.

El Paso, TX 79907

February 4, 2015

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Williams, Machuca Communities

1039 Sunland Park

El Paso, TX 79922

March 13, 2015

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Tays Community

2201 San Antonio St.

El Paso, TX 79905

April 7, 2015

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Paisano Green Community

4000 E. Paisano St.

El Paso, TX 79905

Individuals interested in getting the Directive to Physicians and Medical Power of Attorney forms can download them by visiting the County Attorney’s web page at www.epcounty.com/ca. The forms are available in both English and Spanish.

The purpose of the event is dual: to bring awareness about the recovery phase of the survivors of domestic violence and to raise funds to provide scholarships for educational opportunities and therapeutic services for survivors of domestic violence.

“The first cycling event held last year was a great success, and thanks to the support of the community, nine survivors of domestic violence received funds to pursue educational opportunities,” said El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal.

“Once victims finally escape the hold abusers have on their mind and body, they get a whole new outlook on life. There is an overwhelming sense of freedom they get while finding themselves once again. There is also a sense of fear in undertaking a new path in their lives. They want to do things they have not been able to do. Escaping domestic violence provides a whole new perspective for former victims. That’s where the Cycle for Change Scholarship comes in to assist and empower the survivor to soar to new heights while breaking the cycle of violence they have endured,” Bernal added.

“Our shelter was created out of a desire to help homeless women who might be struggling to recover from an abusive relationship and who might have substance abuse problems or mental health issues,” said El Paso Villa Maria director Linda Velarde.

Sponsors of this year’s event include the NM State Police, El Paso Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, El Paso District Attorney’s Office, and more than 16 local businesses.

The cost to register for the cycling event online is $35 for adults or $15 for children under 17 and active duty military. Online registration will end on Wednesday October 22, 2014. There will be on-site registration the day of the event starting at 7:00 a.m.

Participants will be able to choose from 3 different courses:

· 20 Mile course: (Description)

· 30 Mile course: (Description)

· 50 Mile course: (Description).

We will give out t-shirts to the first 250 registered participants. There will be cash prizes to the top 3 finishers in the 50 mile ride, and gift cards to the top finishers in the 20 and 30 mile courses.

This year, individuals who want to support the scholarship fund but are unable to attend the event can register as “Sleep-in for a Change,” paying $20.

El Paso County Attorney's Office
and the University Medical Center of El Paso are partnering with the Housing
Authority of the City of El Paso (HACEP) to promote the use of Advance Medical
Directives (“medical wills”) in the community, particularly among the
beneficiaries of public housing programs in El Paso County. The pilot program was
created to inspire, educate and empower the public about the importance of
advance care planning.

As part of the campaign to
promote the use of the “living wills,” attorneys from the County Attorney’s
Office, and volunteers from the University Medical Center will be offering free
assistance regarding advance care planning and advance directive forms on Thursday October 16, 2014, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Father Pinto Apartments, 1001 S. Ochoa
St. All residents of El Paso County are encouraged to come and get
assistance drafting their advance directives forms.

Advance directives are legal
documents that allow you to convey your decisions about end-of-life care ahead
of time. They provide a way for you to communicate your wishes to family,
friends, and health care professionals, and to avoid confusion later on.

A
Directive to Physicians or Living Will tells how you feel about care intended to sustain life. You
can accept or refuse medical care. There are many issues to address, including:

The
use of dialysis and breathing machines

If
you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops

Tube
feeding

Organ
or tissue donation

Blood
transfusions

A
Medical Power of Attorney allows
individuals to designate someone they trust to make health decisions if they
are unable to do so.

As part of
the program, the participating organizations will host similar events every
month at different HACEP locations around El Paso. The
events are open to the general public.

November
13, 2014

3:30
- 5:30 p.m.

Alamito
Terrace Community

509
St. Vrain

El
Paso, TX 79901

December
6, 2014

2:00
- 4:00 p.m.

Baines Community

10661 Vista Del Sol

El Paso, TX 79935

January
20, 2015

2:00
- 4:00 p.m.

Father
Ochoa

8820
Old County Rd.

El Paso, TX 79907

February
4, 2015

2:00
- 4:00 p.m.

Williams,
Machuca Communities

1039
Sunland Park

El
Paso, TX 79922

March
13, 2015

2:00
- 4:00 p.m.

Tays
Community

2201
San Antonio St.

El
Paso, TX 79905

April 7, 2015

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Paisano Green Community

4000
E. Paisano St.

El Paso, TX 79905

Individuals interested in getting the Directive to
Physicians and Medical Power of Attorney forms can download them by visiting
the County Attorney’s web page at www.epcounty.com/ca. The forms are
available in both English and Spanish.

Stormy weather as the one El Paso is experiencing now can produce a big demand for roofing contractors. It is also a great breeding ground for “storm chasers,” fly-by-night roofing contractors who sometimes go door-to-door offering their services enticing residents with incredibly low estimates or offering new roofs paid entirely by the insurance company.

El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal has some recommendations for residents who are having problems with their roofs and are in need of hiring a contractor to fix their leaks:

· Hire only licensed or bonded contractors. They might be more expensive, but are the only ones who can offer you some peace of mind in case you are not happy with the repairs.

· Do not be rushed into signing any contract, especially if the contractor uses high-pressure sales tactics, such as today-only discounts.

· Always sign a detailed contract for the project, and get the terms and any warranties in writing.

· Before deciding to hire a contractor, do your homework. Get more than one estimate; ask for references from the companies, and search online for any complaint filed against the company or the individual, particularly with the El Paso Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org/elpaso/). You can also call the El Paso County Attorney’s Office at (915) 546-2050 to find out about any pending or previous criminal cases involving a particular contractor.

· Never make full payment of the project upfront. A reputable legitimate home improvement company will NEVER ask for full payment upfront. However there are times when it’s industry standard for the homeowner to make a 50% deposit depending on the project, price and/or special order of the materials.

· Check with the City of El Paso to determine whether a city permit is needed for the roofing project. If one is required, ask the contractor obtain the permit. This will ensure he is bonded and insured.

“Most established roofing companies are trustworthy and professional. Consumers should be wary of an offer that sounds too good to be true – it probably is,” said El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal.

Any resident who feels has been the victim of a scam is asked to file a complaint with the El Paso Police Department at (915) 832-4436 or the El Paso Sheriff’s Office at (915) 546-2280. For more information, please call the Criminal Unit of the El Paso County Attorney’s Office at (915) 546-2050.